[deb54]

Originally Posted by julias690

Hello,
I'm trying to get help for my husband of 25 years who came home from work on April 22,2012 and was complaining of not being able to remember/forgetting things. When I questioned him he could not remember what we had just bought our son for his birthday the week before and other obvious questions. We went to urgent care he was given a cat scan, mri, labs, urine tests. First ever consult with Neurologist on April 26th. All tests were negative and diagnosis was vitamin b12 def with a level of 195, or a-typical global amnesia. The Neurologist said that he would be fine. (The next day 04-27-12 his internist agreed and told both him and myself that he would be fine as well) He was given a b12 shot in the office of 1000mcg, and started on sublingual 2500mcg tab of b12 daily. He was given another shot of b12 1000mcg on 05-01-12. He takes other bp meds for the past 7 years as well. His memory at this point is very poor in my opinion. He does not remember what we did yesterday, or even things in the last few months. He asks me the same questions at times over and over again. At time with hints from me he will remember some things. This was an immediate onset with no other symptoms known to me other than leg cramps leading up to the event on 04-22-12. Its almost been two weeks and I'm not seeing any real permanent improvements. In my delirium of last week, I failed to ask the Neurologist or his Internist how long it would take for him to improve. Just looking to see if there is anyone else out there experiencing this and for some friends and support. Sorry if I have left out any info that you may need to assist.
Sincerely, Julia

Julia, I had extreme memory loss due to b12 deficiency as well as not being able to read or perform my normal daily activities. I couldn't operate my sewing machines, couldn't spell. After starting on liquid sublingual methylcobalamin, most of my memory returned, as well as reading. I noticed a difference in energy immediately but the memory slowly improved, maybe within a few weeks. Due to some adverse reactions, I had to stop treatment for several weeks and my memory deteriorated. I restarted and felt a big change again. It's been 8 months and I still need daily b12 to maintain my ability to function well. I think it's different for each person and depends on how long b12 levels were low. I responded well to the Methyl. I hope, given a little time, your husband will see real improvement also.

...deb

[mrsD]

I would also suggest that if your husband takes a statin drug for cholesterol, that he stop it after discussing this with his doctor.
Here is a review of the years of statin reports:
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/w...ally_work.html

Dr. Graveline MD, a former US astronaut lost his memory on statins. He wrote a book on it called Lipitor, Thief of Memory. You can Google him for tons of information.

Our FDA in US has just released a warning about statins and memory, too. Many years too late IMO for many people.

So it may be MORE than B12 in your husband's case if he uses any drug in the statin family.
I'd get him on 5mg of methylcobalamin daily, on an empty stomach. This is inexpensive and pretty fast in correcting. Much better than injections in fact.
There are many drugs that deplete B12 today. Some very common ones, including OTC.

Originally Posted by julias690

Hello,
I'm trying to get help for my husband of 25 years who came home from work on April 22,2012 and was complaining of not being able to remember/forgetting things. When I questioned him he could not remember what we had just bought our son for his birthday the week before and other obvious questions. We went to urgent care he was given a cat scan, mri, labs, urine tests. First ever consult with Neurologist on April 26th. All tests were negative and diagnosis was vitamin b12 def with a level of 195, or a-typical global amnesia. The Neurologist said that he would be fine. (The next day 04-27-12 his internist agreed and told both him and myself that he would be fine as well) He was given a b12 shot in the office of 1000mcg, and started on sublingual 2500mcg tab of b12 daily. He was given another shot of b12 1000mcg on 05-01-12. He takes other bp meds for the past 7 years as well. His memory at this point is very poor in my opinion. He does not remember what we did yesterday, or even things in the last few months. He asks me the same questions at times over and over again. At time with hints from me he will remember some things. This was an immediate onset with no other symptoms known to me other than leg cramps leading up to the event on 04-22-12. Its almost been two weeks and I'm not seeing any real permanent improvements. In my delirium of last week, I failed to ask the Neurologist or his Internist how long it would take for him to improve. Just looking to see if there is anyone else out there experiencing this and for some friends and support. Sorry if I have left out any info that you may need to assist.
Sincerely, Julia

[julias690]

Good Morning and thank you for your quick responses.

Thank you Deb, you have no idea how much encouragement you have just given to me.

Thank you MrsD. My husband does not take a statin drug. He has only taken plendil, benicar, atenolol and a baby aspirin for several years. I started giving him the Jarrow Methyl B-12 5000 mcg one tablet daily on Tuesday 05-01-12 after it came by mail. I went to the Puritan website and ordered their formula Methyl B-12 5000mcg after reading that it had worked so well for you. By the way the buy one get two free sale is on now.

Any further advice is much appreciated.

You all are in my prayers.

Sincerely Julia

[mrsD]

Oh, good. Statins are so common and so toxic to so many!

I will say this however, the atenolol, can affect the brain and memory. It is less specific in this action than other beta blockers, but older patients can still have depression and memory effects from it:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...YT5DQYUM8yk3HA

So do consider this and discuss with the doctor. Sudden cessation of beta blockers is not recommended and a short taper is best. (this prevents rebound cardiac negative effects).
So if he decides to stop it, please do a taper, for safety. It doesn't have to be a long taper, just slowly for a few days reduce the dose. 50mg to 25mg to 12.5mg and off.

Thanks for the reminder on the Puritan sale. They do this every May and only once a year. That is when I lay in my B12 and some other things like l-lysine, etc. I just received my new catalog in fact!

Originally Posted by julias690

Good Morning and thank you for your quick responses.

Thank you Deb, you have no idea how much encouragement you have just given to me.

Thank you MrsD. My husband does not take a statin drug. He has only taken plendil, benicar, atenolol and a baby aspirin for several years. I started giving him the Jarrow Methyl B-12 5000 mcg one tablet daily on Tuesday 05-01-12 after it came by mail. I went to the Puritan website and ordered their formula Methyl B-12 5000mcg after reading that it had worked so well for you. By the way the buy one get two free sale is on now.

Any further advice is much appreciated.

You all are in my prayers.

Sincerely Julia

[julias690]

Thank you Mrs D.
On our way to the doctors this morning.
Julia

[julleri]

Do you take a B complex supplement in addition to the Puritan's Pride B12? I have asked doctors to test me to see if other B vitamins are low (can they do this?) and none have done it! I see my multivitamin covers the B vitamins. Is it even safe to take a B complex in addition to a multivitamin that contains B vitamins? I know that B vitamins are water-soluble, but I do know that a couple of them should not be taken in excess (niacin and b6 I believe are the two that can build up if taken too much over time).

I don't know if my sublingual B12 is working. I've increased it to 3000 mcg sublingually a day. I ordered the Puritan's Pride since they're having that sale you mentioned. I guess I could get my B12 level checked in a month or two and just stay on this brand and take it sublingually to see if it is working (like how you tested with Puritan's) and then if it's not working I could try your method of 5mg/day NOT sublingually with Puritan's and just swallow them to see if the level increases. I'm done with shots I hate the up and down feeling, plus I hate giving them to myself I don't feel too comfortable doing that - plus I've read the studies that shows oral over time is better anyway.

Thanks,
Jason

[mrsD]

Most people do well on RDA multivits for the other Bs.

An exception for this, is B1, if you have a genetic error in its use, and need higher B1 (may be a cause of neuropathy).

Folic acid is added to many foods now, so high dose folate is not really needed in US today.

The high dose B-complexes, have high B6, and some people do come here complaining about B6 causing neuropathic symptoms.
They are also hard on the stomach for some, causing reflux or nausea.

See how you do on the high dose methylB12 ... you can always add in others later.

[julleri]

I was reading earlier posts in this thread that brought up the patented B12 product, Eligen B12. Has anyone tried this form of B12? It's supposedly supposed to be better absorbed (through patented technology) and enter your bloodstream with peak at about 30 minutes versus peak of 6 hours for OTC oral B12 supplements. I think it's only available as cyanocobalamin, though, so what's the point?

[mrsD]

I have not seen it yet.

But searching now I see Life Extension has it.

http://www.myhealth-store.com/elb12100mg30.html

Very pricey too for 30. Some people may not try it because of the expense.

For those without the MTHFR mutation, it is an option.
The carrier developed for it, I believe may be used for other drugs in the future.

Studies show oral B12 does work even without this carrier that this product has. So it is the buyer's choice in the end.

It would have been nice to see it as methylB12.

[julleri]

Thanks for all your quick replies to my questions, MrsD! I'm really grateful

I have another question about some of my symptoms. I have been having a lot of mental confusion and some scary memory issues (can't remember details of things I did earlier in the day, for example). I also sometimes get these jamais vu feelings (being somewhere I know I've been feels "new" to me). Could this be related to low B12? I honestly don't know how long I have been low but I suspect it has been over the last few years, as that's where some other symptoms have come up (depression episodes, feelings of apathy, and then in the last year hunger loss and more confusion). I know you're not doctors so you can't say for sure. I see a neurologist tomorrow and I want to express these concerns. I'm just afraid I have subacute degeneration of the spinal cord or something, and that any damage from low b12 can't be undone. Can it?

I've also stopped nearly 10 years use of antidepressants a little over 2 months ago (I'm on a support forum for antidepressant withdrawal). They said the cognitive loss can be from that as well. It's sad, but over the last few years I've attributed everything going on with me symptom wise to those damn antidepressants and their withdrawal, but it could have been from this vitamin and I never knew it! I'm also low in D which I'm working on repleting as well. All these problems...